Device for cleaning liquid containers



June 17, 1930. P. R. FINCH 1,764,160

- DEVICE FOR CLEANING LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l gmwntoz P411):

June 17, 1930. P. R. F|-H 1,764,160

DEVICE FOR CLEAN ING LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 17, 1930 PATENT OFFICE PAUL R. FINGH, F DES MOINES, IOWA DEVICE FOR CLEANING LIQUID CONTAINERS Application filed August 22, 1927. Serial No. 214,539.

5. by automobiles and the gasoline contained therein without disassembling or removing the tank.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a vacuum cleaning de- 'vice for removing gasoline or the like from a tank, cleaning the liquid by straining it, and then returning it to the tank, the suction and returning operations being performed by the use of a pump in connection with a suitable air-tight receptacle equipped 2 1 cleaning process and functioning of the with suitable valve connections.

A still further object is to provide a vacuum cleaning device which is easily operated. and capable of sight observation of the various parts of the device at all times.

A still further object is to provide a vac uum cleaning device that is noiseless in operation and possessing a high safety factor.

j A still further object is to provide a vacuum cleaning device for the removal of foreign matter from gasoline or the like that has a quick detachable straining unit easily removable for emptying the foreign matter.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a vacuum cleaning device for re moving foreign matter from gasoline and the like that is durable in construction and economical in manufacture and use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating the complete apparatus embodying my invention,

with one side of the base removed to more fully illustrate the construction of the device.

Fig. 2 is also an elevation ilustrating my device ready for use with another side of the base cut away to more fully illustrate the construction of the centrifugal pump and its communications with the tank of the device.

Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the upper portion of my apparatus and is taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of a safety valve mounted in the vacuum pipe leading from the tank to the centrifugal pump and is taken on line 47- of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the fourway valve used in my device.

Fig. 6 is a diagr'ammatical view showing the position of the valves when the device is removing and straining the gasoline from the gasoline container of the automobile.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of my apparatus showing the position of the valves when the gasoline is being returned to the container of the automobile.

One of the principal troubles encountered I in operating an internal combustion motor driven vehicle is water or foreign matter accumulating in the carburetor or gasoline lead pipes. No car can operate for long without experiencingv this trouble. 'When it is found that dirt or water is in the tank or pipes a very difiicult task is encountered to remove the same. Usually, it necessitates the removal of the tank. Much gasoline and time is lost during this procedure. I have overcome these troubles by providing a vacuum cleaning device designed to be installed at the various service stations where the gasoline tank on the vehicle can be quickly and efiiciently cleaned periodically. p

I have designated the hollow base of my device by the numeral 10. This base is inclosed at its top and has an integrally formed cup member 11 extending upwardly. Extending around the marginal edge of this member 11 is an endless groove 12 having therein the resilient gasket 13 of suitable material. Supported by this gasket is the large tubular member 14 preferably made of glass. The numeral 15 designates a cover member having the groove 16 similar to the groove 12. In this groove 12 is a gasket 13' similar to the gasket 13 which rests upon and is supported by the upper marginal edge of the glass tube 14. Thus it will be seen that if the cover member 15 and the top portion of the base member are securely held together with the glass tube between them, an air-tight container will be had. Detachably secured in and to this cover member is the straining unit including a cap 17 superposed on a ring 17. In order that no air can pass betweenthese two portions the gasket 18 is provided. The ring 17 is designed to rest on the cover member and communicate with the opening, 19 therein. The numeral 20 designates a spider integrally formed in the ring 17. Passing through the center of this spider is the bolt 21 having the nut- 22 on its upper end. The lower portion of this bolt is secured to and supports a number of flat arms 23 extending clownwardly and outwardly inside the container thereby forming a skeleton cone- The lower ends of these arms are integrally formed to the cup member 24. Inside this cup member is a tube member 25 extending upwardly therein and having its bottom open and communicating with the interior of the container of the device as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral 26 designates an outwardly extending peripheral flange on the member 24. Mounted on this flange is the gasket 27 supporting the small glass tube 28. The upper marginal edge of this glass tube engages the gasket 29, which also serves for hermetically sealing the space between the ring 17 and the cover member 15. By this construction if the nut 22 is tightened the member 24 will be pulled upward, thereby properly sealing the complete unit except for the tube member 25. Supported by the arms 23 is the cone-shaped strainer 30. This strainer may be made of chamois skin but for practical use I recommend that it be made of fine gauze. The numeral 31 designates a yoke hinged to the cover member 15 and cap-' able of extending over the straining unit. Threaded into this yoke member and cap able of having its end engaging the cap 17 of the straining unit is the hand screw 32. By tightening the hand screw 32 downwardly the unit is forced on the gasket 29, thereby hermetically sealing the straining unit in the opening 19. To remove the complete straining unit it is merely necessary to loosen the hand screw 32 and swing the yoke to the side and the complete unit can be lifted from and out of the container. I have designated the flexible inlet tube by the numeral 33 communicating with the inside of the cup member 16. This inlet tube is provided with a hand operated valve 34. Secured to the end of this tube is the nozzle 35 designed to extend into the gasoline tank to be cleaned. In order to completely remove all the gasoline and foreign matter from the gasoline tank of the vehicle, I cause a vacuum in the container of the device, thereby creating a suction for drawing all the gasoline, dirt and water from the tank through the nozzle 35, the tube 33, and into the straining unit into the container of my device. To cause the clean gasoline to return to the tank of the vehicle, through the hand operated valve 36, the return tube 37 and return nozzle 38, I remove the vacuum state in the container of my device and create a pressure therein. This operation is accomplished by a small electric motor 39 mounted in the base 10 operatively connectedwith the centrifugal pump 40. This centrifugal pump has the vacuum pipe 41 and the pressure pipe 42, both extending upwardly and communicating with the four-way manually operated valve 43. The numeral 44 designates a lead pipe having one end communicating. with the upper end of the container of the device and its other end communicating with the four-way valve 43. If this valve 43 is in the position shown in the diagram of Fig. 6, the vacuum pipe of the centrifugal pump will be in communication with the pipe 44 and thereby, if the pump is in operation, be sucking air from the container of the device and discharging it through the pressure pipe 42, through the four-way valve 43 into the small mufiier 45 which communicates with the outside atmosphere through the pipe 45. This will cause a rarity of air in the container and if the hand valve 36 is closed, the hand valve 34 open, and the nozzle 35 in the gasoline tank of the vehicle, the contents of the gasoline tank will be sucked into the container of the device and thereby clean it. On the other hand, if the four-way valve is in the position as shown in Fig. 7 diagram, the pressure pipe 42 will be in communication with the pipe 44 and the vacuum pipe 41 will be in communication with the muflier 45, thereby creating a great density of air in the container and forcing the clean gasoline, if the valve 34 is closed and the valve 36 open, through the discharge tube 37 back into the gasoline tank of the vehicle. The pipes 44 and 45 serve another purpose than that for which they are designated by bolting the member 11 to the cover member 15 with the large glass tube 14 interposed. In

order to prevent serious damage to the device by an over-existence of vacuum in the container I have provided the safety valve 46 in the pipe 41. .To prevent too great a pressure in the container the safety valve 47.

The practical operation of the device is as follows: Place the nozzle 35 inside the gasoline tank to be cleaned, open the valve 34, and close the valve 36. The motor is then switched on by pulling the switch plug 48 thereby operating a switch in the switch box 49. Turn the four-way valve to the posi- I have provided tion where the suction or vacuum pipe 41 is Communicating with the pipe 44 and the gasoline, water and foreign matter from the gasoline tank will be drawn into the cleaning unit. The first part of this fluid and dirt will strike the cone baflle member 50 and fill up the space between the clip member 24 and the glass tube 28. When this space is filled, the liquid will overflow through the mesh strainer 30 and into the cavity between the tube member 25 and the cup member 24. As water and dirt is heavier than gasoline, it will be deposited in the space between the cup member 24 and the glass tube 28. The cone strainer will also prevent it from passing into the cup member 24. When the cavity between the tube member 25 and the cup member 24 is filled, the

gasoline will overflow over the upper mar-' ginal edge of the tube member 25 into the container. This cavity between the tube member 25 and the cup member 24 is provided to catch any foreign matter that by any chance happened to get through the strainer 30 and serves the same purpose as the space between the cup member 24 and the glass tube 28. The cone baffle 50 tends to throw the gasoline to be cleaned outwardly, thereby preventing it from falling directly on the cone strainer in which case some of the water and foreign matter might be forced through the strainer.

To return the cleaned gasoline to the tank, it is merely necessary to close the valve 34, open the valve 36, and turn the four-Way valve 43 so that the pressure pipe 42 will be communicating with the pipe 44. As the tubes 14 and 28 are of glass, it is very easy to note when the space between the cup member 24 and the tube member 27 is completely filled with water and dirt and it is merely a matter of seconds to detach the complete straining unit and remove the foreign matter. If it is desired to disassemble the strainer unit it is merely necessary to unscrew the nut 22, after removing the cap 17.

To prevent an excess amount of gasoline entering the container and thereby reducing its efficiency, I have provided a trip valve to prevent the cration of further vacuum in the container. This trip valve consists of the bearing member 51 having the needle 52 capable of closing the passage of air through the pipe 44. Secured to this needle is the float 53. Attached to this needle is the weight 54 by the adjusting set screw 55. By

this arrangement when the gasoline in the container reaches the level where it engages the float 53 the needle 52 will be elevated and prevent further air from passing out of the pipe 44.

The operation of cleaning the gasoline may be repeated any desired number of times to thoroughly clean it and the tank from which it is taken. the liquid be drawn and cleaned at least twice, and upon returning it to its tank the I recommend that first time the nozzle 35 may be manipulated once the manipulation of the valves is understood.

In the diagrammatical views of Figs. 6 and 7 I have designated the gasoline tank of an automobile by the numeral 56 and the liquid contents by the numeral 57.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved device for cleaning liquid containers without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I'claim:

1. An apparatus for cleaning liquid containers comprising an air-tight receptacle, an inlet conduit communicating with said receptacle, an outlet conduit also communicating with said receptacle, a centrifugal pump having a suction inlet and a pressure outlet, a prime mover in operative engagement with said pump, a four-way valve designed to communicate with the inside of said receptacle, the suction side of said pump, the pressure side of the pump, and the outside atmosphere, and a liquid cleansing means inside said receptacle for the purposes stated.

2. In a device of the class described, an air-tight receptacle, a liquid cleansing means in said receptacle, an inlet conduit communicating with the inside of said receptacle and said cleansing means, an outlet conduit communicating with said receptacle, a means for setting up a rarity of air in said receptacle, 2. safety valve for preventing over a certain amount of vacuum in said receptacle, a means for setting up a pressure in said receptacle, and a safety valve for preventing too great a pressure in said receptacle.

3. An apparatus for cleaning liquid containers comprising a receptacle of air-tight construction, inlet and outlet conduits communicating with said receptacle, a centrifugal pump having a suction end and a pressure end, a prime mover in operative engagement with said pump, a muflier, a fourway valve having openings communicating with said receptacle, the suction end of said pump the pressure end of said pump and said mufller and a liquid cleansing means in said 1 receptacle.

4. In a device of the class described, an airtight receptacle, an inlet and an outlet conduit communicating with said receptacle, a means for setting up a vacuum in said receptacle to draw liquid from a container to said receptacle through its conduit, a means for preventing the setting upof any additional vacuum in the receptacle after a certain amount of liquid has entered the receptacle,- a -fllll(l cleansing means in sand receptacle,

and a means of setting up pressure in said receptacle to drive the cleansed liquid therefrom through its conduit back to the container.

5. In a device of the class described for removing liquid from a container, cleansing the liquid and returning it to a container, an air-tight receptacle, a detachable liquid cleansing unit mounted in the top of said receptacle and removable therefrom, a flexible inlet conduit communicating with said cleansing unit, a flexible outlet conduit communicating with the bottom of said receptacle, and a means for applyin" suction to the receptacle for causing the liquid to be cleaned to pass through the inlet conduit, through the cleansing unit, into the receptacle and for then applying pressureto the receptacle to force the liquid through the outlet conduit.

PAUL R. FINCI-I. 

